Early 2024, I was bedridden. Diagnosed with End Stage Kidney...
Kintsugi Investing@kintsugiinvest
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Sep 12, 2025
~3 min read
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Early 2024, I was bedridden.
Diagnosed with End Stage Kidney Failure.
Left with barely 1 hour of usable energy a day.
Today, my portfolio is up 62%
Beating the S&P 500 by 21%.
Here’s how I built wealth when life gave me no margin for error:🧵
Diagnosed with End Stage Kidney Failure.
Left with barely 1 hour of usable energy a day.
Today, my portfolio is up 62%
Beating the S&P 500 by 21%.
Here’s how I built wealth when life gave me no margin for error:🧵
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Most investors think success = endless hours.
Reading every annual report.
Staring at charts daily.
Reacting to every market move.
I couldn’t.
I had no energy for obsession.
So I used a system that worked without constant attention.
Reading every annual report.
Staring at charts daily.
Reacting to every market move.
I couldn’t.
I had no energy for obsession.
So I used a system that worked without constant attention.
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Core–Boost–Amplify Portfolio Sizing
• Core: Diversified, stable growers (lowest volatility)
• Boost: Concentrated bets on high-quality, high-growth names
• Amplify: Occasional trading positions during market pullbacks
Each layer had a role. No confusion, no overlap.
• Core: Diversified, stable growers (lowest volatility)
• Boost: Concentrated bets on high-quality, high-growth names
• Amplify: Occasional trading positions during market pullbacks
Each layer had a role. No confusion, no overlap.
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The result:
A portfolio with a rock-solid base (Core), torque for growth (Boost), and optional accelerators (Amplify).
Not every stock had to be a moonshot.
Not every trade had to last forever.
Clarity created strength.
A portfolio with a rock-solid base (Core), torque for growth (Boost), and optional accelerators (Amplify).
Not every stock had to be a moonshot.
Not every trade had to last forever.
Clarity created strength.
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But structure alone wasn’t enough.
I needed a filter.
Instead of pouring through endless reports, I used a 15-point scoring system.
Low-quality stocks were eliminated in minutes.
Only the best made it through.
I needed a filter.
Instead of pouring through endless reports, I used a 15-point scoring system.
Low-quality stocks were eliminated in minutes.
Only the best made it through.
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This system saved my most precious resource: energy.
Every stock had to pass strict criteria — balance sheet resilience, earnings durability, moat, management quality, valuation discipline.
If it didn’t? Out.
No debate. No wasted hours.
Every stock had to pass strict criteria — balance sheet resilience, earnings durability, moat, management quality, valuation discipline.
If it didn’t? Out.
No debate. No wasted hours.
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Then came discipline:
Clear rules for buying and selling.
I only bought when price < intrinsic value.
I only sold when the business broke my rules.
No panic during corrections.
Corrections were my opportunity to buy great businesses on sale.
Clear rules for buying and selling.
I only bought when price < intrinsic value.
I only sold when the business broke my rules.
No panic during corrections.
Corrections were my opportunity to buy great businesses on sale.
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Most people stare at their portfolios every day.
I didn’t.
I checked mine only occasionally.
Made moves only when opportunities appeared.
The rest of the time, I let the system do its job.
I didn’t.
I checked mine only occasionally.
Made moves only when opportunities appeared.
The rest of the time, I let the system do its job.
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Constraint became clarity.
Because I couldn’t afford to waste energy, I removed everything non-essential.
No hype chasing.
No emotional selling.
No endless screen-watching.
Just rules, patience, and compounding.
Because I couldn’t afford to waste energy, I removed everything non-essential.
No hype chasing.
No emotional selling.
No endless screen-watching.
Just rules, patience, and compounding.
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By Sept 2025, while I am still regaining strength, my portfolio continued growing.
+62% return.
21% ahead of the S&P 500.
Not from chasing headlines.
Not from daily trading.
From structure, discipline, and simplicity.
+62% return.
21% ahead of the S&P 500.
Not from chasing headlines.
Not from daily trading.
From structure, discipline, and simplicity.
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The irony?
Being sick made me a better investor.
When you have no margin for error, you stop making unforced mistakes.
And when you stop making mistakes, compounding works its magic.
Being sick made me a better investor.
When you have no margin for error, you stop making unforced mistakes.
And when you stop making mistakes, compounding works its magic.
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Key takeaways you can use right now:
• Build your portfolio in layers (Core–Boost–Amplify).
• Use a scoring system to filter out weak stocks.
• Buy only below intrinsic value.
• Sell by rules, not emotion.
• Treat corrections as opportunities, not disasters.
• Build your portfolio in layers (Core–Boost–Amplify).
• Use a scoring system to filter out weak stocks.
• Buy only below intrinsic value.
• Sell by rules, not emotion.
• Treat corrections as opportunities, not disasters.
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Investing isn’t about doing more.
It’s about doing less, better.
The market rewards patience and clarity, not constant activity.
Survival first. Growth second.
Do that, and returns take care of themselves.
It’s about doing less, better.
The market rewards patience and clarity, not constant activity.
Survival first. Growth second.
Do that, and returns take care of themselves.
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I talk more about this time-saving investing system in my weekly newsletter.
Join over 390 smart investors:
buff.ly/iqwUHNs
Join over 390 smart investors:
buff.ly/iqwUHNs
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We're Zee & @thehowietan:
• Financially-free investors
• Focused on resilient investing
• On a mission to help normal investors build & repair portfolios
Follow @kintsugiinvest for more.
If this was useful, Like & Retweet so others can learn too.
• Financially-free investors
• Focused on resilient investing
• On a mission to help normal investors build & repair portfolios
Follow @kintsugiinvest for more.
If this was useful, Like & Retweet so others can learn too.